GOP Senate Majority Leader-Hopefuls Scramble To Address Trump Demands Ahead Of Inauguration

GOP Senate Majority Leader-Hopefuls Scramble To Address Trump Demands Ahead Of Inauguration
Rick Scott (Image: YouTube screen grab)

By Julianna Frieman

Republican senators competing for the majority leader position vowed Sunday to address President-elect Donald Trump’s demands ahead of his inauguration.

Trump revealed Sunday that the Senate leader of his GOP majority must support recess appointments to assure his Cabinet positions be confirmed expeditiously and unobstructed. The three senators contending for the leadership role — South Dakota Sen. John Thune, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott — all responded to Trump’s conditions prior to Senate Republicans’ secret-ballot election on Wednesday.

“Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner. Sometimes the votes can take two years, or more. This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again,” Trump wrote on X. “We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY!”

“Additionally, no Judges should be approved during this period of time because the Democrats are looking to ram through their Judges as the Republicans fight over Leadership,” the president-elect added. “THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU!”

Scott responded to Trump’s announcement six minutes after it was posted.

“100% agree. I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible,” Scott wrote, prompting an endorsement from billionaire Elon Musk.

Musk, who was loyal to Trump during the campaign, signified his support for Scott about 30 minutes after the Florida senator’s reply. (RELATED: President-Elect Trump Hits Ground Running, Warns Putin During Call To Not Escalate War In Ukraine)

Although Thune and Cornyn have been the perceived frontrunners, Scott has also secured endorsements from other prominent Trump allies including Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

“We need a Senate Majority Leader who will make reducing our debt a top priority,” Scott wrote on X. “That means NO more trillion-dollar omnibus packages full of wasteful spending.”

Scott took to Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” hours before Trump’s announcement and vowed to bring “big change” to the Senate to ensure Trump’s nominees are approved and his agenda goes forward.

“The time for bold action to quickly confirm President Trump’s nominees and enact his agenda in the Senate starts TODAY,” Scott wrote on X. “We can and must change the direction of our country – that’s why I’m running to be Senate Majority Leader.”

Thune released a statement promising to put all options on the table to get Trump’s nominees through the Senate, which may include recess appointments.

“One thing is clear: We must act quickly and decisively to get the president’s cabinet and other nominees in place as soon as possible to start delivering on the mandate we’ve been sent to execute, and all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments,” Thune said, according to the New York Times.

On social media, he added, “We can’t let Schumer and Senate Dems block the will of the American people.”

Cornyn, whose staff told The New York Times he had already been advocating for speedy appointments of Trump’s nominee, took to social media after the president-elect made his demands.

“It is unacceptable for Senate Ds to blockade President @realDonaldTrump’s cabinet appointments,” Cornyn wrote on X. “If they do, we will stay in session, including weekends, until they relent. Additionally, the Constitution expressly confers the power on the President to make recess appointments.”

Currently controlled by Democrats by a single vote, the Senate aims to confirm as many of Biden’s judicial nominations as possible before Trump takes office with a legislative mandate, The New York Times reported.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced in February his intent to step down from Senate leadership following the 2024 election.

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